What exactly is a slump? In baseball, have you ever noticed that they call it a batting slump when you are not producing, but they call it a hitting streak when you are on a roll? Why is that? Why don't they call it a hitting slump? Why isn't it known as a batting streak? It seems that a batting slump has the connotation that you are getting poor results from lackluster efforts, whereas it seems that a hitting streak suggests that your above average results are based not upon efforts, but upon action!

Let's break down those two words to see what they truly are. By using one, we may combat and even possibly avoid the other:

SLUMP

S-Saying Negative Things

Have you ever noticed that when you are in a slump, you tend to be fairly pessimistic and negative? You not only have what Zig Ziglar used refer to as Stinking Thinking, you also seem to want to share some of that negativity with those around you.

Now think for a moment about any time that you might have been around someone who was negative, pessimistic, or overall just down in the dumps. Regardless of their intense desire to want to bring you into their negative world, you simply did not want to be a part of it did you? In fact, you probably did everything you possibly could to avoid this person. Here's a golden tip: Don't Be That Person!! Remember what your Momma taught you when she said, "If you don't have something positive to say, don't say nothing!"

Your peers, colleagues, managers, family, and friends don't want to suffer through your slump with you! So, do not make them! Oh, and one more thing: neither do your prospects, customers, and clients. Be careful of what you think and say. It all matters in the eyes of a buyer!

L-Lazy

When I have experienced a slump (yes we all have) in the past, it always seemed to me that I did not have a clear drive to push towards that which I wanted to accomplish. This was only perpetuated by some of my actions.

I tended to come in a little late, make less calls, take no's a little more personal, make excuses as to why I couldn't attend that networking event, go home a little earlier, and return less calls! The longer I was in my slump, the worse I seemed to get!

Woody Allen once suggested that 90% of success comes from just showing up. Although it can be somewhat disheartening working during a slump, one of the surest ways out is to work your way through it!

U-Undecided

Think about the batter who is in a slump for a moment. As the pitch is being thrown, what thoughts are going through his head? For years, he has been trained to instinctively respond to visual stimuli (the ball coming toward him) quickly and adjust as necessary to accomplish his goal of making contact. Indecision is a killer for such a "think on your feet-split second skill."

How does the profession of sales differ? Of course, just like the batter, you must be prepared for anything that is thrown your way. This comes from practice, practice, practice, and more practice. In addition, when the slump comes to the hitter, they tend to get in the practice cage MORE and work on their skills.

The most important word here in action! When we get into a sales slump, we tend to over-analyze many things and thus fall victim to paralysis by analysis. Whatever it is that you need to get done, Nike said it best when they said, "Just Do It!" Remember, there are three types of decisions that you can make:

1-The right decision2-The wrong decision3-No decision

Two out of three of these are OK! Even if you make the wrong decision, the fact that you did will help you define the right decision. Making no decision shows weakness and that is something that spells suicide in professional sales!

M-Misdirected

Why is it that when you are in the throws of a sales slump, that filing, errands, e-mail campaigns, etc., become so important in your day? As a sales professional, your day should be spent only on HPAs (High Payoff Activities.) If you are not spending time talking to prospects, customers, and/or clients, I will go ahead and assume that you are doing nothing to proactively gain business.

Now, you can go ahead and justify all of your NSAs (Non-Selling Activities) to someone else but not me! We both know that, when you are on a roll, you place far less importance on some of these activities and your direction is very clearly focused on the things that are necessary to build, grow, or maintain relationships and value for your prospects, customers, and clients.

If Focus Precedes Success, and it does, this one of the key areas to beware of when sales are temporarily down! Don't get pulled into non-productive activity because you took your eye off the ball.

P-"Poor Me" Attitude

It has been said that misery loves company. When a salesperson finds themselves in a slump, it is like being in a "pity closet." There is poor lighting in the pity closet. It is stuffy in the pity closet. There is lousy conversation in the pity closet and really lousy company.

In the profession of sales, we are either order takers or order makers! We are either reactive or proactive. The best part about this is that we have the choice. You have chosen this career have you not? You are not allowed to be a victim! That's the rule. Live with it! Deal with it! Only those poor people who are subject to the tyranny of others are allowed in the pity closet. Sales pros are not.

Here is the tough message. If you don't feel like you are in the right place, at the right time, with the right company, representing the right product or service, at the right price, in the right marketplace, then GET OUT!! There are choices out there and the pity closet isn't one of them. Snap out of it!!!

Now, for a moment, let's think about what is going through your mind and what actions you lock into when you are in the middle of a closing streak! You have all been there. Even if it has been a while, these words/phrases should hit home for you:

STREAK

S-Saying Positive Things

When you are on a roll, in the middle of a streak, everything that comes out of your mouth is full of enthusiasm, energy, and positive, forward thinking statements. You not only don't have the time for negativity, you simply obliterate it from your world. You understand that the results that you get are in direct correlation to the things that you think as well as say.

Colleagues, friends, family, peers, and customers all want to be around you. You always seem to know the right things to say and the right moves to make. You create positive circumstances because of your positive outlook. You are on high-receive! You do not react, you respond! You make things happen and everyone knows it!

Again, be careful with the things that you say. They tend to set your future.

T-Tenacity

When you are deep in the excitement of a streak, you are pit bull. You grab onto opportunity and you are relentless to pursue it through to the finish line. It may seem somewhat cliche to say, but you do not take NO for an answer!

You have a very clear objective (purpose) for each and every call and you are absolutely driven to hit it.

Tenacity is founded in FOCUS and none is stronger than yours. Focus is founded in goals and yours are clearly defined and written down. You visit them frequently and discuss them with peers and colleagues in the present tense (as if they have already occurred) in order to create an even stronger laser effect to your focus.

R-Reality

Sales reality is defined differently for everyone. The salesperson who is tearing it up in the middle of a closing streak, has a very clear definition of reality in sales. They know that they may need to take several swings at the mighty tree with their axe to get it to fall. They realize that it takes many No's to get to a single YES. They realize that not everyone is a buyer for their wares.

The reality of a sales superstar in the middle of a streak may seem somewhat skewed to most others. Reality for those on a roll tells them "Nobody is saying no to me!" They simply are in a different state of Attitude and thus, refuse to go to the pessimistic view.

In addition, reality tells those in the middle of a streak that they better keep their heads down and keep running because you have to ride that streak for all it's worth!

E-Eccentricity

Now there is a word you don't see too often. One definition by Webster's Dictionary describes it as "odd or unconventional." The person that is in the middle of a streak does not necessarily play by the rules of convention. They re-write the rules and thus re-define the game.

The last ten years or so would call that out of the box thinking and out of the box action. In fact, that term "out of the box" has been used so much that it is smack dab in the middle of the box! However, when you are streaking in sales, you do tend to more naturally think creatively, act differently, and do things that would appear to others as eccentric. It is my belief that this is one of the great hallmarks of success.

Remember, the word eccentric is typically followed by the word millionaire!!

A-Action!

As I wrote above, when you are in a slump, you have a difficult time with decisions. The opposite is true when you are rocking and riding a streak!! Action causes all decisions to be made in the moment. You are not paralyzed with fear or over analysis. Instead, your confidence is high and you act!!

Interestingly enough, the question comes up often: "Does action create confidence or does confidence create action!" What do you think?

K-Knowledge

The salesperson in the middle of a streak constantly is seeking knowledge. He or she is continually feeding their brains with positive information and detailed info regarding all aspects of the sale, their career, and their personal lives. This interesting part is that this happens without additional effort.

This superstar is on "high receive," taking in information and knowledge from every source. He is listening attentively, reading everything with one eye toward education, and the other toward personal growth. The salesperson on a streak realizes that knowledge isn't power until it is put to use, and thus he translates what he learns into how he performs.

The life of a salesman is fraught with intense joy and occasional frustration. It is not a matter of if but rather a matter of when the dreaded slump will rear its ugly head and grasp even the most talented of sales professionals. One of my clients once said, "Sales is series of peaks and valleys and it is just a matter of time until we all find ourselves in the valley. The difference between the average salesperson and a superstar is decided by how long they choose to stay in the valley!"

Hopefully, by using some of the information in this article, you will be better able to understand what permeates a slump and what you can do to pull yourself out. In addition, it is equally important to realize what's happening when you are riding a streak and what you need to keep doing to keep the streak alive!!

About Gerry Layo

Gerry Layo is one of the nation's most dynamic and sought after speakers offering world-class keynote addresses, seminars, and workshops throughout North America. Gerry offers his audiences 20 years of street-tested, no-nonsense business experience. Gerry comes from a fresh new perspective on the… more